Under the Influence
by sheisamelody
Summary: “What on earth did I drink last night?” he said to himself. Flopping down again so that he was lying on his back, Lawson was suddenly flooded with some memories of the night before...


**Under the Influence**

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**Summary: **Lawson somewhat recalls what happened on a big night out with the rest of the group!**  
Rated: **T**  
Disclaimer: **I don't own the characters of the TV show Rush (obviously).**  
A/N: **This is my first proper go at a 'light hearted' Rush fic. Hope it's ok! :D

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"Come on Aidan! It's time to get ready for school!" he heard a familiar male voice say. It sounded frighteningly similar to his own. Was it _he_ who was speaking? And who the hell was Aidan? Where was he?

Lawson gasped and woke up in a cold sweat. His white sheet was twisted in a tangled mess around his body. He jolted upright in bed and looked around out of confusion. His eyebrows lowered as he noticed that he was in his own bedroom. He knew the shadows that surrounded him off by heart.

Had he dreamt that whole thing?

_Aidan?_ _School?_

"What on earth did I drink last night?" he said to himself, shaking his thumping head as he tried to get the sheet in front of him straightened out. He glanced at the clock over on his bed side table, it was 5:33am. Flopping himself down again so that he was lying on his back, Lawson was suddenly flooded with some memories of the night before ...

-----

Everyone except Dom and surprisingly Leon, had decided to go out for a drink that evening. It was going to be the first time in quite a while that they had been out together in a group, without having to deal with anything that was remotely related to work. A chance to let their hair down, so to speak.

Lawson wasn't the kind of person who usually had too much to drink, even on the rare occasions when he did go out. The reason had something to do with his past but he never liked to talk about it much. His late teenage and early twenties were a nightmare; he was a completely different person back then. Polar opposites of what he was now, and vowed he was never going to be like that again. He shuddered at the thought of it.

Stella on the other hand, was excited about getting 'social' with the rest of the group, _especially_ the girls. She thought it could be their chance to have a bit of a gossip session, mainly about the boys. A _drunk _gossip session between herself, Kerry and Shannon – she was certain that that was when all the good bits were going to come out. People tended to speak their true minds when they were drunk. She started giggling out loud to herself at the idea and only snapped out of it when Kerry walked past, an odd expression on her face.

"I was just thinking about something funny."

Kerry nodded, a small smile formed on her face, "Obviously!"

"You _are_ coming, aren't you Kerry?"

She pretended to think about it for a moment, um-ing and ah-ing to herself. When she saw the somewhat shocked look on Stella's face, she laughed, "Yeah I'm coming! But I'm not going to be drinking too much though."

_D'oh! _"Why the hell not?" she shrieked. This was going to ruin the fun of a gossip session!

"New years resolution," Kerry replied with a wink, before walking away.

Stella frowned, bitterly disappointed at that revelation. Kerry was at _least_ going to get tipsy, even if Stella had to force the alcohol down her throat through a funnel!

"Whatcha frowning at Stell?" into the room walked Lawson moments later, dressed in casual clothes, "I thought tonight was going to be all about having fun!" he didn't quite believe that somehow though.

"Oh it's Kerry. She says she isn't going to be drinking much tonight."

Lawson snorted in disbelief, "Do you actually _believe_ that?"

"She said it was her new years resolution!" Stella answered with a sigh.

"That has to be the funniest thing I've heard all day!" Lawson said, before chuckling in his usual manner and shaking his head at the same time, "New years resolution my ...!" his voice trailed off as he walked back out of the room.

-----

Arriving at the pub they all agreed on going to, Lawson raised an eyebrow when he saw the three girls sitting next to each other, whispering, giggling and appearing to be checking out some of the guys who were scattered around the place. Even Shannon, despite being in a long term relationship. Lawson cursed himself silently, wondering why he didn't get a lift with Josh or even Michael.

Stella was the first to spot him, calling him over to their table.

"Yes I saw you all sitting there!" he told them with a roll of the eyes when he sat down. He then studied the three of them and a frown appeared on his face, "Have you already started drinking or something?"

"_We _have," Stella replied, pointing at herself and then at Shannon, "But Kerry's being a bloody party pooper. You _have_ to do something about her Lawson!"

Kerry rolled her eyes and Lawson responded with, "And what do you expect me to do about it? I'm not going to be drinking much either ya know."

"What!? You too!" Stella exclaimed, her eyes wide, "You guys are as boring as bat shit."

Lawson and Kerry shared a quick glance, "I hardly ever get drunk Stell. You should know that by now."

"And I have a new years resolution to stick to!"

"Oh stuff _your_ rare drunkenness, and _your_ new years resolution for _one _night!" Stella exclaimed again, beginning to sound like a child who wasn't getting their own way, "Come on!"

Kerry looked over at Stella before looking over at Lawson again, the look on her face showed him what she thought of _that_ idea. Lawson, had other thoughts however, "I'll have a few drinks if you have a few drinks Kerry."

Stella and Shannon started clapping out of excitement.

"No!" Kerry cried out, putting her head down on the table, "I think drinking has got me in enough trouble as it is," her voice was muffled slightly, as she thought back to a few months earlier when she got pulled over for drink driving, and Lawson had to come and 'rescue' her.

There was a spark in Shannon's eye when she had an idea, "How about, instead of you two having a few drinks, just have a shot of Absinthe each or something!"

"Oooh! Great idea Shannon!" Stella answered with a grin, "How about that?"

"Absinthe? As in that _green fairy_ shit?" Kerry said unenthusiastically.

She nodded, "Ever had it?"

"_No!_"

"Well tonight's your chance!"

Kerry looked across at Lawson in question. He was looking back at her intently, "Well like I said, I'll drink if you drink."

Stella laughed in a way similar to _Dr Evil_ from the _Austin Powers _movies, "You two are going to get so wasted on one shot of alcohol!"

This was definitely going to be a great night; even if she didn't quite get the gossip session she was hoping for.

-----

Josh arrived at the pub just as Kerry and Lawson had both had their first few cautious sips of the green liquid that was Absinthe. Stella waved her arms about in the air to get his attention, after seeing him standing at the door with an absent look on his face. When he walked over to their table, Lawson looked up at him, "Oh it's Josh!" he said excitedly, his voice higher than usual, "Hi Josh," he waved 'prettily' at the sergeant, fluttering his eyelashes.

Josh looked at everyone else, confused, "What the hell?"

"He and Kerry are both drinking Absinthe. They seem pretty drunk already!" Stella exclaimed with a laugh.

"No kidding. Whose marvellous idea was that?" Josh slid himself down into the booth next to Lawson.

"Shannon's!" Kerry pointed across to her, swaying backwards and forwards slightly. Her eyes were half open and looking a little hazy, "She looks like a ... a ... green fairy!"

"Tinkerbell!" Lawson yelped. They both burst out into fits of uncontrollable laughter.

"Christ," was all Josh could manage to say, resigning himself to the fact that he was probably the only sober one there, "We're in for a fun-filled night," while his last comment may have sounded a little sarcastic to the group, he was actually looking forward to seeing his superiors, Kerry and Lawson off their faces. The stories the next day were going to be entertaining, that's for sure. It meant though, that he couldn't get too drunk because he would probably be the one 'looking after' them, but he did not mind. He wasn't really in the mood to be drinking much anyway. "So where's Michael? I thought he was going to be here," Josh interrupted Kerry and Lawson's fits of laughter and now, tears.

"Being a slacker?" Shannon suggested.

"His parents mustn't be letting him out the house tonight!" Stella added with a giggle, before gulping down the rest of her bourbon.

-----

The tiniest of gasps escaped from his mouth as Lawson opened his eyes and sat up again; he was _never _going to drink again if that's what had happened last night. The workplace was going to be filled with jokes and stories about he and Kerry. Lawson could hear the voices and laughter of Stella and Leon now, despite Leon not even going out. Stella would tell him everything she remembered for sure! He was going to have to ask Josh what exactly happened, who, if his memories were correct, was the only person sensible enough not to drink anything except Coke.

His thoughts scattered into small sections in his mind when his mobile phone rang loudly, "Yeah?"

"Lawson? Did I wake you?" came Kerry's groggy sounding voice, "What on _earth_ happened last night?"

He couldn't help but laugh a bit, but he made sure he did it away from the phone. She sounded quite worried, "I'm not 100% sure. It's been going around my head for ..." he glanced at the clock, it was 6.05am, "Half an hour."

_Half an hour?? Is that all?_

"Damn, well I can't remember a bloody thing. I hope whatever it is ... it isn't um, _too _bad," she replied hopefully, "Anyway I'll see you at work."

"Yeah no worries Kerry. Strap yourself in for a horrid day!"

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**The End**


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